Best hotels in Thailand?

[Rhys]

My Cambodia holiday is looking like it will become a Thailand-only holiday so am currently looking at that. Any hotel recommendations/avoids?

Current plan is to do a few nights in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui each. Thanks!

[Michael C]

Rhys, my beloved Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit!
https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/04/30/review-sheraton-grande-sukhumvit-bangkok/

[Olly]

For a Bangkok alternative, the Banyan Tree in Silom is ace, particularly the views from the 21st floor outdoor pool

[masaccio]

A regular visitor once recommended https://www.theracha.com to me and I keep meaning to go. Great diving amongst other things. But would mean you switching out Koh Samui for a much smaller island.

[PointsChaser]

COMO Metropolitan gets a lot of repeat guests and is also the home of what many, although this point is debatable, view as the best restaurant in Bangkok, Nahm.

Re Chiang Mai, I really enjoyed the Rachamankha which is a beautiful colonial style hotel. I rate the breakfasts here as the best I have had in a hotel.

I have not been to Koh Samui so nothing to offer.

[elguiri]

We also liked Hua Hin (travel down by train from Bangkok), as it has some lovely places to visit on day trips from there. Also the seafood is amazing!

[Aston100]

When are you going Rhys?

[aseftel]

I’ve stayed at the Conrad twice. Perfectly decent city hotel but wouldn’t suggest going out of your way for it.

I would however strongly recommend making a day trip up to Ayutthaya. It’s a truly impressive collection of historical sites and hardly any tourists as soon as you’re a bit off the beaten track.

Have you considered taking the train up to Chiang Mai?

[senorjutt]

Highly recommend Capella Bangkok if you have the chance (and budget). Opened up very recently (2020) but worth it to stay a few nights. Regret not staying there longer. Stayed there earlier this month.

A blow out (£££) for sure, but probably hands down the best hotel experience I had in the past few years. With them being desperate for hotel guests (guess that’s what happens when you open during the pandemic), they’re doing some really good stay offers including “buy one, get one night free” on suites if you book direct (think they are on the GHA program). Definitely worth doing at least a couple of nights while the offers are still around.

I’ll probably go back there when I go back to SE Asia and I don’t even like Bangkok that much…

Think Vietnam is opening up, that could be an alternative to Cambodia?

[yorkshireRich]

I have stayed in Hua Hin before travelling on the excellent transport for around a fiver from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. Not sure if that runs at the moment. I have had a quick look at the Hilton Hua Hin I stayed at and before covid I noticed prices were rocketing but having had a look today on some random dates, they have certainly gone back down.

I highly recommend the Sofitel in Bangkok and again looking at prices, they also appear quite low at the minute. I was guest of the day there and had access to the lounge etc.

[Rhys]

Thanks everyone! Lots of non-chain hotels. What about Marriott/Hilton/IHG options too?

Aston100 wrote:

When are you going Rhys?

End of Feb!

aseftel wrote:

I’ve stayed at the Conrad twice. Perfectly decent city hotel but wouldn’t suggest going out of your way for it.

I would however strongly recommend making a day trip up to Ayutthaya. It’s a truly impressive collection of historical sites and hardly any tourists as soon as you’re a bit off the beaten track.

Have you considered taking the train up to Chiang Mai?

Thanks – Ayutthaya definitely on the itinerary, and yes, did consider taking the train up. Worth it you think? I don’t mind reading a book trundling along beautiful scenery.

Michael C wrote:

Rhys, my beloved Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit!

Of course!

[Hbommie]

Best is always subjective, but I guess it depends on budget. If it’s true luxury then I’m sure Emyr will work his magic at The Siam or Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok (I like The Pen but others complain about which side of the Chao Phraya it is, doesn’t bother me), Four Seasons and Capella are new editions along the river which is where I like to stay as it gives more options for transport links.

But why pay the top notch price, is a fair argument in Bangkok…so many options. WA on points? The W?

The there’s sukhumvit, Park Hyatt looks nice, never stayed.

Samui, Tongsai Bay is an older property a little outside of Bhoput, nice place. The Intercontinental is at the other side of the island and we stayed a while ago when it was the Baan Taling Ngam, stunning sunsets.

[Hbommie]

senorjutt wrote:

Think Vietnam is opening up, that could be an alternative to Cambodia?

What’s the deal with Vietnam?

[Rhys]

Hbommie wrote:

What’s the deal with Vietnam?

Love Vietnam and went with HfP in 2019 (and would definitely go back) but won’t go this time round!

[thom]

he W Koh Samui is pretty awesome. That said, it’s best suited to people who are willing to eat at the hotel and spend their time at the hotel + associated beach area rather than explore the region.

[EDB99]

Chiang Mai.

Last stay was in Spring 2019 so take this FWIW.

Back then, I thought the Anantara was the best option. Have stayed at the Shangri-La as well and wasn’t impressed.

I guess your main decision will be whether to stay inside Chiang Mai (near the walled city, the main temples, the night market…) or merely within the region. If you go outside the city, there are some options that are likely up to a higher standard (such as the Four Seasons). Never been due to my preference for staying near the center. You can still do trips out of town to Doi Suthep and so on…

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[SamG]

+ 1 for Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok. I think Emyr can do something there?

Koh Samui I heard good things about the Conrad as well but again it’s one you go to and don’t really leave, it’s quite out of the way. Can’t think of any other chain hotels there to recommend, have always done a villa Chaweng way myself

Chiang Mai we always do cheap as we’re out and busy & IIRC the chains are a bit further out of the city.

I was here – https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/ back in March 2020, amazing day out as it was very quiet – we went on to Phuket and then my family flew home the UK on the last transit allowable Singapore Airlines flight and we went home to Singapore 2 weeks quarantine followed by lockdown! Crazy times, we all thought it’d be over in a couple of months, how wrong we were !

[Aston100]

I booked the Shangri-La in Chiang Mai for later this year.
Hope it’s decent!

[SamG]

Aston100 wrote:

I booked the Shangri-La in Chiang Mai for later this year.
Hope it’s decent!

I haven’t stayed but from what I’ve heard from friends it isn’t up to the usual Shang standards even before COVID & especially post-COVID – very tired, lots of facilities closed or dirty

[Aston100]

SamG wrote:

Aston100 wrote:

I booked the Shangri-La in Chiang Mai for later this year.
Hope it’s decent!

I haven’t stayed but from what I’ve heard from friends it isn’t up to the usual Shang standards even before COVID & especially post-COVID – very tired, lots of facilities closed or dirty

Oh dear.
Mind you, I used the Amex travel promotion for £100 off and the pricing at the time was (IMO) pretty good. Also they’ve confirmed an upgrade of some sort.
I think I paid under £70pn b&b.
I intend to be out and about most of the time, so hopefully any shortcomings with the decor and facilities won’t be a show-stopper.

[memesweeper]

Tanita House in Chiang Mai gave my family a wonderful stay nearly a decade ago. Extremely fond memories. I checked back today on tripadvisor before posting here, in case it’s changed owner and gone off the boil, and found it’s top ranked — literally 1/1299. I like a chain hotel on points as much as the next HfP reader, but if you want something different check Tanita out.

[Wanderlust]

The Marriott Marquis in Sukhumvit area in Bangkok was pretty bad. The hotel is just so massive, the rooms aren’t great, the lounge is too small with a poor F&B, the location is a bit scuzzy, and the breakfast was bad. We ended up there after it was recommended by a friend and pretty much spent the whole time wishing we were at the Sheraton Grande where we usually prefer to stay.

In the past we’ve also stayed at the Sukhumvit Westin once and it was pretty decent but not spectacular. Stayed at the Sofitel Sukhumvit once- really liked the lounge and the hotel itself was decent. The first time we went we stayed at the Shangri-La on the river- liked it but it felt like it took forever to get anywhere from there, but I understand that the transport situation has improved since then.

In Chaing Mai we stayed the Le Meridien, the hotel itself is tired but the staff were so lovely and almost constantly went above and beyond that I really enjoyed the stay. Location isn’t great but we generally managed to get around fairly easily.

[Michael C]

Wanderlust wrote:

The Marriott Marquis in Sukhumvit area in Bangkok was pretty bad. The hotel is just so massive, the rooms aren’t great, the lounge is too small with a poor F&B, the location is a bit scuzzy, and the breakfast was bad. We ended up there after it was recommended by a friend and pretty much spent the whole time wishing we were at the Sheraton Grande where we usually prefer to stay.

In the past we’ve also stayed at the Sukhumvit Westin once and it was pretty decent but not spectacular. Stayed at the Sofitel Sukhumvit once- really liked the lounge and the hotel itself was decent. The first time we went we stayed at the Shangri-La on the river- liked it but it felt like it took forever to get anywhere from there, but I understand that the transport situation has improved since then.

In Chaing Mai we stayed the Le Meridien, the hotel itself is tired but the staff were so lovely and almost constantly went above and beyond that I really enjoyed the stay. Location isn’t great but we generally managed to get around fairly easily.

Yeah, we did a Shangri-La for a few days a while back: lovely, of course, and they were great with our then toddler, but really only useful if you want to be in that part of the city. Did some river/temple stuff, then back to the SGS!

[aseftel]

Rhys Jones wrote:

Thanks everyone! Lots of non-chain hotels. What about Marriott/Hilton/IHG options too?

Obviously in the wrong part of the country, but since you specifically asked, I had a good stay at the JW Marriott Khao Lak. You’ll recognise it – it gets used a lot in Bonvoy marketing materials.

The whole place is connected by a network of swimming pool canals (and half the rooms are swim-up), which gives it a really fun vibe. Now and then there’s a canoe that goes round selling beers and ice cream. You can swim from the bar to your room.

The property is sat on a gorgeous beach, public but dead quiet given the location. On-property dining was nothing remarkable, but there were a few options set up by locals around the property set back from the beach that were very good and inexpensive. We ate out every night after we discovered them – follow the other guests disappearing into the treeline with phone torches after dark!

[strickers]

Point of note that the Hilton Arcadia in Phuket permitted me a points booking and will provide a letter of confirmation providing I pay a THB10500 deposit. The deposit will be offset against any room charges and any not used refunded, if for any reason I can’t go they will also refund.